Pax Spec Script by Tumiso Tsukudu

PAX EPISODE ONE First draft 10/10/2005

PAX EPISODE ONE

THE MYSTERY RACER

Screenplay

by

Tumiso Tsukudu

[email protected] First draft

+27 82 711 3823 OCTOBER 10, 2005

mailto:[email protected]


TITLE SEQUENCE

EXT. UBUHLE CITY – DAY

The skies swarm with advertising blimps, dirigibles and holographic billboards as Hovercrafts, auto-jet transports, and quadruple-decker turbo trams skim along virtual skyways through the clouds above Liberation Monument, Atomic Towers and Malice Industries headquarters.

UBUHLE is a mega-township, over crowded and cramped, a heavy metal and concrete maze of elevated walkways, sky bridges, perilous iron structures, and larger skyscrapers forming vast futuristic urban canyons.

As the camera travels through the city to a middle class neighbourhood, we get a sense of what everyday life in the not too distant future is like. This is South Africa 2045, where the familiar of today is fused with a hyper-technology of the future.

INT. SUBURBAN GARAGE – DAY

The garage is cluttered with used household appliances, and the walls are lined with tools, banks of processors and disk drives.

A test bay and a digital prototype assembly desk stand in one corner. There is a 3-D Holographic entertainment unit, posters of music stars and classic auto-jet calendar pin ups, its PAX’s domain, a funky high tech lair.

PAX a thirteen years old African boy is at work making final adjustments to his VOLTRON3000 Hover Bike as futuristic synthesised tunes blasts from a holographic boom box near by.

PAX is dressed in surplus military space gear accessorised to fit his on personal futuristic style. He has a boyish charm and large brown eyes that reveal intelligence as sharp as a laser scalpel.

His HOVER BIKE is also styled to taste - looking like a futuristic competition dirt bike. That hovers!

PAX’S MOTHER, a homely looking middle age woman dressed in Malice Industries work overalls, stands in the doorway, trying to yell over the music.

MOTHER

PAX! I’m working a double shift so look after your little

brother.


PAX

(Unhappy)

Ah! Ma! It’s the race today and I gotta qualify to have any chance

of making the Hover-X-Games trials.

The house can baby sit him…

MOTHER

(Irritated)

Don’t get smart!

PAX

Come on Ma don’t be a technophobe, after all its 2045 that’s what technology is for, to

make your life easier.

MOTHER

(Exacerbated)

To make your life easier and mine harder.

Just take him with you! You know he looks up to you.

An ecstatic Teeter emerges from behind his mother and bounds over to the older boys. PAX unable to disappoint his little brother begrudgingly acquiesces, playfully putting his helmet on Teeter, who drowns in the oversized headgear.

PAX

Okay but you better not embarrass me.

MOTHER

(Ranting on)

And have that pig sty you call a room cleaned up by the time I get

back. Don’t make me tell you again …

We suddenly hear screeching as two hover bikes come to the end of a 10 meter skid. KEITU, a sprightly young girl and SCI-PHI, a


slightly taller boy with a dark and brooding disposition come to a Holt a hair away from the family jet transport. Just in time to save PAX from another lecture.

KEITU

(To PAX’s mother)

Hi, Mrs Africa my mother says thanks for taking her shift.

MOTHER

(More politely)

No problem I could use the over time, Teeter needs another

prosthetic upgrade and we could use the money.

SCI-PHI

(Taunting PAX)

You still putting on your make-up or what?

KEITU

Yeah, let’s get going I hear there is going to be some serious

competition this year.

Apparently Tumi Mokwena’s dad just got him one of those new

VOLTRON4000s and Keitu’s brother helped her installed a MALICE V3X

boost over the holidays...

SCI-PHI

I hear she’s running it off a duel chip plasma cell and can

push it past 5000.

PAX

I was just tweaking the power influx coupling. I’m done lets

bounce.

PAX closes the panel and hops on. Kick starting the bike and revs the engine satisfied with his modifications. PAX straps his helmet on while Teeter climbs on the back, mimicking his big brother.

The old pals line their bikes into formation with SCI-PHI and KEITU flanking PAX. The gang perform their secret oath. It is


very poetic, beautifully synchronised series of moments which display a sense of kinship.

MOTHER

You kids be careful now.

PAX gives her a thumbs up as the gang roars out of the garage and peel off down the street with Teeter holding on for dear life, bug-eyed with fear and excitement as he almost flies off the back.

MOTHER

(Shaking her head and wagging her finger in disapproval)

And look after Teeter!

EXT. RACE START PIONT – DAY

The atmosphere is competitive, tension and anticipation in the air. Kids from the neighbourhood line up for a hover bike race - each bike fitting their individual personality.

PAX and his friends glide their hover bikes into position joining the boisterous and colourful menagerie of jet-cycles.

Revving their engines they showing off to each other and the gathered crowd of spectators old rivals, exchange taunts and challenges as a mysterious racer, riding an ultramodern and sleek hyper-bike defiantly pushing into position amongst the front pack.

RACE ANNOUNCER

Boys and girls welcome to the annual regional Hover-X try outs.

There are no rules except the first four riders over the finish

line at Liberation Monument qualify for the main competition

later this year.

Racers take your positions and start your engines.

All the racers watch the stoplights intently as they count down. Poised, waiting, their clutches down. Everyone fighting to reign in their hover bikes that strain like vicious attack dogs, growling, and ready to be unleashed.

The virtual start flag suddenly turns green signalling GO! GO! GO!


PAX twists his throttle, pops the clutch and the racers take off in a cloud of jet fumes like bats out of hell, their jet burners screaming through the air as the bikes launches away in a thundering mass wheelie.

One of the racers is left behind frantically pumping the kick-start of his hover bike but the damned thing won’t start.

The electronic whin of the hover bike engines and the roar of the crowd are all that remains as the scene quickly moves on.

WHIP PAN TO:

EXT. CITY STREETS

Cruising tight and fast through the traffic the racers jockey for position while navigating a hair-raising circuit through the city.

Cold neon flares across the chrome of their hover bikes and the reflected glare of street lights flow over their visors as the racers tear down the freeway.

It is quickly becoming a riveting race as the rivals zigzag deftly through a sea of futuristic looking transports with PAX, SCI-PHI, KEITU and THE MYSTERY RACER quickly taking the lead.

PAX and SCI-PHI gun it down the street forcefully twisting their throttles to overtake a triple-decker turbo tram full of raucous Hyper-ball fans.

Loosing her nerve KEITU hesitates and the mysterious racer overtakes her. Speeding past the tram the mystery racer thunders up along side SCI-PHI and takes second position with ease leaving an astonished SCI-PHI eating his jet fumes.

The two lead racers push their hyper-bikes faster now, rushing the corners in gut wrenching drifts and broad slides in a tussle for the lead, headlights eating up the road.

PAX checks his side view mirror and sees in horror the mysterious rider gaining rapidly on him. The mystery racers hover bike roars right up to the lens, filling frame with chrome and lights.

PAX checks his speedometer and the speedometer wavers past 500kpm, as his plasma-drive engine strains under the pressure.

Becoming even more determined and wanting to shake the mysterious rider PAX makes a quick turn cutting through an Astro-Chicken Stop N Snack.

EXT. ASTRO CHICKEN FAST FOOD OUTLET

High tech it is a spectacular curb service hangout. Futuristic Synthesised Rap music blasts from the sound system. Patrons mostly teenagers mingle and lean up against their stylish hover bikes sipping Astro-shakes and eating cosmic flavoured ice cream.


Skilfully weaving through the lot, PAX shoots inches past a fully articulated human android waitress, causing it to dump its order all over a customer astride the meanest looking hover bike every.

He is left behind an eddy of outrage; totally drenched in Galactic Milkshake and Atomic fries, as PAX ramps of a Trash-Zapper and crashes through a holographic billboard while pulling off a fantastic version of a Superman Seat Grab.

Airborne, PAX flies out of the parking lot bombing down the street with the mystery racer gaining rapidly a few lengths behind.

The rest of the pack follows in hot pursuit leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

The two lead racers lean their bikes into a turn and slide out of the corner facing a couple hundred yards of straightway leading to an Exit Ramp onto Virtual Express Way M1.

Suddenly, up a head of them a rickety old hover truck appears from a side street.

INT. HOVER TRUCK CAB

The driver a jolly old GM food farmer sees the racers approaching rapidly in his rear view monitor and his expression instantly changes to total panic.

Cursing, and hitting his air-horn he frantically swerves the truck allowing the racers to swoosh past avoiding a collision.

The unstable vehicle starts jack-knifing, screeches and wobbles on the edge of control.

The frantic old farmer cuts the wheel hard trying to maintain control over the crocking old hover truck, but he over compensates and the truck slews into a reverse 180, spinning, swapping ends in confusion and crashing in a thunderous carnage of twisting metal into another on coming vehicle. The collision causes a multi transport pile up, stuff and produce spilling out everywhere.

Now jostling for third position, SCI-PHI and KEITU slam into some debris ricocheting it into the path of another racer. The nervous racer locks up, braking violently his bike fishtail all over the road. Loosing control he crashes.

PAX and the mystery rider shoot far ahead through busy traffic with PAX pushing his hover bike faster than he has ever done before, but still not shaking the mystery rider.

The end suddenly pops into sight over a rise in the road –

LIBERATION MONUMENT

Now riding neck to neck with PAX the mystery racer shoots PAX a


defiant look, shifts to a higher gear, squeezes the throttle and lungs his bike forward as it suddenly undergoing an amazing transformation: TWO STABILIZER FINS AND A JET ENGINE suddenly appearing out the rear

PAX grimaces angrily and looks on in horror trying to milks every last bit of power his bike has as the mysterious racer cuts his bike in front and pulls a little ahead taking the lead.

PAX and the mystery rider charge through the city as streetlights flare past them. Like comets, the two duellists fly across the finish line.

The mystery racer crosses first and the awaiting crowd erupt in applause.

PAX comes up behind the mystery racer, swooping his hover bike down, easing the shifter up into neutral and begins to descend into landing mode along side the mystery racer.

Anxious to have the identity of the mystery racer revealed the other racers quickly park their bikes and gather around as the crowd congratulate him.

Rocking the bike onto its kickstand the mystery racer swings his leg over and calmly takes of his helmet.

To everyone’s surprise, we see the mystery rider is actually a girl, UNA a tomboyish, young Amazonian princess.

PAX is enchanted already forgetting his recent loss. Impressed by her racing skills the gang decide to make UNA a member of their gang, but SCI-PHI is not convinced and suggests that she first take a test.

SCI-PHI

We will meet later this afternoon and go tag the Malice Industries

build.

Una is uncertain but not willing to back down she reluctantly agree.

EXT. WEST SIDE HOVER DOCKS - LATER

Rags of mist and litter skim by as the kids race along, the artificial sun set slicing through the buildings and strobbing over the panels of their hyper-bikes.

The gang cuts through a vacant lot to a trail running beside a chain link fence topped with concertina security wire. A sign on the fence reads: MALICE INDUSTRIES. Beyond it squats an imposing multi-story complex of black glass, institutional brick, and barred windows.

PAX guns her bike through a hole in the retaining fence leading


the gang along as they roar down a concrete embankment on the other side, zigzagging and throwing up rooster tails of litter.

The area is totally deserted except for two hover trucks parked side by side. The kids park their hover bikes behind a dumpster and dismount. Looking furtively around they grab their gear and run to a near by access ladder.

The gang climb up onto a ledge and walk along its edge. It is high up, an eerie environment with the coloured lights of the city twinkling through the smoky pollution that wafts from the sea of industrial smoke stacks.

Spurred on by the gang Una takes out a futuristic looking spray can. She inserts a plastic memory chip, types on a small key pad on the side of the can, points it at the wall and sprays.

In a blinding flash, a full colour mural suddenly appears on the wall. The gang is impressed by Una’s art, but suddenly an alarm sounds as the walls anti-graffiti security system kicks in and automatically wipes the wall clean.

The kids are dejected and complain about how nothing they do in the city has any effect. Then suddenly an approaching engine sounds in the distance.

The kids turn and hide on the sound, ducking just a BIG CHROME hover bike enters frame. A leather-clad leg leads up to a gleaming visor, which surveys its territory like a Doberman.

Idling his bike near the sound of the disturbance the security guard scans the area in a slowly shark-like manner. He then kicks his hover bike into gear and moves on not aware that he has just missed his prey.

Looking out from under one of the hover trucks, the kids slink away back to their hover bikes. But alas, another guard stands sentinel over their bikes waiting for their riders return.

The situation has now become desperate and dangerous for the kids. Una suddenly takes charge and leads them along an alternate route from the main aisle of the lot. The kids run quickly and quietly traversing industrial plumbing above the unsuspecting pursuers as searchlight beams probe the darkness.

(beat)

Suddenly one of the guards scanning the area catches a glimpse of the kids. Signalling the alarm he giving chase.

The gang seeing the henchmen bearing down on them at full tilt emit a mutual shriek, turn look at each other and breaks into a run, hauling ass down an aisle.

With the henchmen hot on their heels, the kids dart left and right around corners. The chase leads them through a confusing


maze of heavy industry into a confined area, and a DEAD END.

Sensing their impending demise time stretches to a nightmarish crawl as the kids exchange frightened panicked glances frantically looking around for a place to run.

Suddenly a whispered voice cries out.

Mushu

Quickly this way before they see you!

They jump and twirl around looking for the source of the voice and see a strange, unassuming, sage like old man gesturing and beckoning them to follow him.

Mushu

Don’t be alarmed, my name is Mushu.

Follow me I know a safe place.

Having no other recourse and hearing their pursuers bearing down on them the kids decide to follow Mushu.

The kid run nervous, scared and covered in sweat as the mysterious old Mushu leads them down a passageway that progressively gets lower and smaller. The passageway eventually becomes so tight and narrower that everybody is forced to crawl through.

They emerge through the labyrinth into a narrow circular chamber that interconnects with a series of larger tunnels and drainage pipes.

Mushu reaches under his shirt like he is reaching for a weapon. The kids freeze a terrified look in their faces.

But Mushu takes out a medallion from under his shirt. Turing to a wall he places the medallion into notches jutting slightly out from a metal plate. A perfect fit. He twists the medallion and suddenly like a built in doorknob the medallion and the metal notches turn in unison.

The kids exchange puzzled looks and take a step back as they hear gears turning and the clicking and whirling of cogs.

Whoosh!

A trap door opens underneath them and a sudden decompression of air leaves the kids momentarily suspended in mid air before they drops flailing and screaming, twisting and turning like an amusement park slide down an interconnecting series of industrial size plumbing pipes.


The kids shrill and scream in ecstasy and fear as they tumble head long into the abyss.

Then just as suddenly, the screaming comes to an abrupt end as the kids are unceremoniously ejected and sent sailing through the air.

They all land in an undignified heap. A few seconds pass and the kids slowly recover and start picking themselves up, dazed and confused.

Regaining their composure, the kids look around their surroundings and their jaws drop, their eyes wide. They are shocked, delighted and overwhelmed. For several moments, they stare in wonderment, speechless.

CAMERA PULLS BACK TO REVEAL

INT. MUSHU’S GRADEN

They are in an enchanting botanical oasis, a corner of Eden in a concrete and steel jungle. The kids stare on in wonderment. This is the first time they have ever seen a living pant let alone a whole garden with trees and flowers.

Mushu

Welcome this is my garden and you will be safe here.

END

Pax Spec Script by Tumiso Tsukudu

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Transcript of Pax Spec Script by Tumiso Tsukudu